Acceptance
by DarkMignonette
Summary: Kurama enjoys the company of his friends after a late night movie. But a lone shadow follows behind, hesitant to join the group. Can Kurama catch a glance past Hiei's rough facade? Oneshot


AN: My next one-shot done for the 10 inspirations challenge, the phrase this time being _"No man is an island." _This made me think of Hiei, of course. xD There's shounen ai in this if you look really hard, but it depends on how you take it. Hope you enjoy!

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"Did you see when the guy's head flew off? Man that was great!"

Kuwabara sent his friend a disturbed look. "You've got a twisted mind Urameshi. I liked the fight scenes better, those punches looked pretty flawless to me." He knocked his fists into the air in an attempt to mimic a part in the movie. "He hit him square in the jaw and the guy went down!"

Yusuke scoffed, running a hand through his gelled black hair. "That's 'cause they were just acting, stupid."

"Shut up!" he snapped, looming over the shorter boy. Kuwabara's brown eyes flashed in irritation. "You know what I mean!"

Yusuke wasn't intimidated. He grinned and opened his mouth in a snarky reply, but was stopped when Kuwabara shoved him aside. He leaned and almost fell over, but caught himself with the natural grace of a fighter "Oh yeah?" He pushed him back just as roughly.

The force tipped Kuwabara to the side, knocking him straight into a grumpy Keiko. "Watch it Yusuke!" she snarled, bumping into Botan. The bluette caught her by the shoulders and prevented her from falling. "You guys are real childish sometimes." she said, a frown across her lips.

Yusuke and Keiko were about to butt heads with each other while Kuwabara spat out insults in the middle. Botan backed up the other girl from the sidelines, leaving Kurama as the usual diplomat.

He took the chance to speak up and put an end to the rising argument. It was all nothing more than playful bantering, but he didn't know if his headache could take much more of it. "I thought it was a pretty...interesting movie myself."

They all turned to the redhead, bringing the conflict to sudden halt. He hadn't spoken a word once since they left the theater, not that there was any room for his input among the bickering.

Botan ran a finger across her chin. "You think so? It doesn't seem like your kind of move Kurama."

He shrugged. "Usually isn't, but that wasn't too bad."

Keiko looked up at the darkened sky in thought, a chilly wind blowing by and ruffling her short brown hair. "Personally I like deep, moving films. Like foreign romance movies."

Botan clapped her hands together. "Ooo, so do I!"

The two girls began gushing over their favorite romance flicks and love stories. Yusuke gagged. "Those things are so retarded. It took me forever to block out the one you dragged me too, I mean I had nightmares about sappy, kissy stuff for weeks."

Kuwabara burst out laughing. "You serious?" He clutched his stomach as rolls of laughter overcame his senses. Yusuke sent him a nasty look.

"It wasn't that bad!" Keiko fussed, crossing her arms over her chest. "You didn't even watch half of it, so how would you know anyway?"

"I did so watch it! I had to, you kept elbowing me every time I took my eyes off the damn screen!"

Kurama held the bridge of his nose in agitation. The argument was in full swing now, there was no stopping them. It was like trying to separate two angry mules with a stick.

"_No_, I nudged you because that hand of yours kept creeping dangerously close to my thigh. Don't think I didn't notice that Yusuke Urameshi!"

Kuwabara shook his head. "That's low, man."

A blush flared across the teen's face, his voice cracking in a tone that meant defeat. "I didn't! I mean..geez, don't say that in front of everyone!"

"Then don't be such a pervert!" Keiko said, narrowing her eyes.

Kurama let out a long sigh as the wringing in his head seeming to reach a crescendo. The group's voices echoed loudly into the night, but it was the pounding of the film's volume that had bothered his sensitive hearing and started the headache.

But overall it was a nice evening. The get together was mostly Keiko's idea, and she had been the one to organize the time and place. Though picking out the exact movie had been a big issue, as everyone had their own taste in genre. It took them twenty minutes to decide, but luckily they found one with bloody action for the boys and smooth romance for the girls. Kurama and Hiei were the only two who didn't care one way or the other.

Kurama paused, his brows furrowing in slight confusion. Speaking of which...

He turned behind him to see the fire demon following their flock of teenagers without a word. His hands were shoved into his jean pockets(forced into casual wear as to not stand out in public), with the same dead set frown on his face. His crimson eyes flashed in the shadows.

If a stranger happened to see him they would assume he was stalking a group of helpless kids. But Kurama knew better, and he saw Hiei as a complicated soul with an anti-social personality. A loner. He smiled to himself. How did he find himself surrounded by such a variety of companions?

Hiei realized he was the target of Kurama's gaze. "What?" he grumbled, looking up at him with annoyance.

The redhead wore an amused smirk. "Why are you all the way back there?"

Everyone ahead of them spun around, and Yusuke waved at Hiei. "There you are! I figured you were lurking behind us. Come on, we don't bite. Well, Keiko and Kuwabara do, but y'know..."

That last comment was protested by a chorus of yelling.

"We're right here, don't worry." Kurama said. He turned his attention back to the fire youkai, tucking a strand of red hair behind his ear absentmindedly. "What's bothering you?"

Hiei lowered his head in a slouch, his body language closed off and unfriendly. "Nothing."

Kurama didn't press it further. It was quiet for a few moments as the two demons walked slowly behind their obnoxious friends. Tokyo was relatively peaceful this late, the walls of houses forming a quiet path through the urban neighborhood. The sleepy flickering of street lamps shown just as brightly as the blanket of stars overhead.

"I don't understand you." Hiei said suddenly.

"Why?" Kurama asked in a polite tone, gazing ahead at nothing in particular.

His lips turned downwards into an expression of disgust. "You're a youkai in spirit, yet you parade around with these humans."

He shrugged. "Well, part of me is still human, I live here in this world. And they're my friends."

"Friends," he made a gruff sound in the back of his throat, "there is no such thing. Allies maybe, alliances yes, but not true friendship. It's an illusion."

Kurama locked gazes with him, emerald meeting crimson red. "You think so? That's not true." he said simply.

"You're being naive then. Some kitsune you are."

Hiei would express his opinion at any moment without an once of regret. The words that came out his mouth could be harsh at times, but Kurama didn't mind it so much. "What would you call me then?" he replied, "If I'm being naive and calling you my friend. Your ally? An ally doesn't bother to wonder when you're sad, nor do they hang out with you because they enjoy your company. You see them..." he gestured to the others up ahead.

Kuwabara seemed to be telling a story or a joke while Yusuke looked on with amusement, his arm casually slung around Keiko's shoulders. Botan was laughing about something, her blue ponytail bouncing in the wind. An aura of warmth moved off them in waves, and love was the only way to describe the feeling.

Kurama continued. "That's not an 'alliance.' That's friendship. And as much as you probably hate to hear this, you're apart of it."

He didn't bother to read Hiei's expression, but he felt the youkai's gaze on him as he picked up his pace. He walked ahead and stopped, looking at him with genuine patience. He held out his hand in an expression of welcome. "It's not in your nature. But humor us will you?"

Hiei's eyes widened a fraction, baffled at Kurama's behavior. But whether he liked it or not, the kitsune's words slowly sunk in. He was the Forbidden child, he killed without thought, he didn't belong in that positive energy. Yet those thoughts fell away as he was pulled towards the light like a magnet. The condemned ones always long for the sun.

The wind blew past framing Kurama's face with his long red locks, vague light reflecting off his angled cheeks. For a second Hiei could see the tricky fox that lurked within, yet his look was unguarded and serene. His natural suspicion searched for malice in that face, but could fine none.

Hiei shrugged. "Fine."

He walked at Kurama's side and joined the group, the barrage of energy's swirling around him. Yusuke's energy was like a fire, while Kuwabara's was sharp and clean like a physic. Keiko's was calm and compassionate, and Botan's was pure and bubbly. And he was currently the center of it all.

Yusuke nudged his shoulder, a cheeky grin across his lips. "Hey there Hiei, you finally done trailing us like a ghost?"

"The midget's here, our group's complete!" Kuwabara laughed, throwing his hands up in the air.

"Hey Hiei-san." Keiko smiled meekly.

"See! Isn't this just so nice?" Botan chirped.

Hiei caught Kurama's eyes again and nodded in acknowledgment. Sure, they were decent humans, he could put up with them. But he didn't necessarily trust everyone, he didn't like all of them, and he definitely wasn't going to adopt their shiny morals anytime soon.

But it was good enough.

Kurama smiled.

"So Hiei, what did you think of the movie?" Botan asked.

He grumbled. "I don't know. I slept through the stupid thing."

Laughter erupted in the night as they continued through the city, making their way to an ice cream parlor under the light of the moon.

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AN: I don't know if I really like this, it's too fluffy. And by the way, I wasn't implying that all girls automatically like romance movies(I don't usually, lol). But Botan and Keiko strike me as the types who would. xD

Anyway thanks for reading.


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